Top 10 mobile games of 2009 so far

They say you should never look back, but what do ‘they’ know? What about if someone shouts “watch out for that runaway shopping trolley”? Or, “isn’t that Penelope Cruz behind you?”

We at Pocket Gamer believe in looking back. After all, if you don’t understand where you’re coming from, how can you tell where it all went so horribly wrong?

In the spirit of reflection, then, we thought we’d take a look back at the contenders for mobile game of 2009 at this halfway point. It’s been a remarkably strong first half, as our list shows, but perhaps the strongest indicator comes from taking a look at the titles that didn’t make it onto our list.

To name but a few: Rolling With Katamari, Puzzle Bobble Evolution, Gish, Chuck Norris, Bejeweled Twist.

All could validly claim a place on the table, and may yet come the end of the year. Which have been your favourite mobile games of 2009 so far?

Top 10 mobile games of 2009 so far

You could argue that this is the only game whose place on this list is assured, for the simple reason that it’s the one mobile game to have scored 10 out of 10 in 2009. It is the outstanding action game of the year, with uncommonly high production values and a compelling combat system.

Tying it all together is a brilliantly told story of a city in chaos following a zombie outbreak. You take control of a private military group sent in to sort things out, though you’re swiftly separated, and have to play through the ordeal from each member’s viewpoint.

One of the best mobile games you'll play, not just in 2009, but in any year.

Connect2Media’s rescue-‘em-up caused quite a stir earlier in the year with its fiendishly addictive gameplay and bold visual style.

Despite its cutesy looks, though, GGRS really does pose a considerable challenge to the old grey cells, as you try and plot a perfectly timed, perfectly executed course through the game.

There are hints of Lemmings in the way you must shunt gormless ‘Darwins’ towards each level exit using your squad of firefighters, and you can't get a higher recommendation than that.

The mobile platform isn’t renowned for its epic space operas, but that’s exactly what we got when Fishlabs released the first Galaxy on Fire back in 2006.

This second slab of intergalactic intrigue improves on the original in every way, continuing Fishlabs's reputation for wringing startling 3D performance from mobile handsets in the process.

Fight, trade, upgrade - the universe is your oyster, and you can access it all through your humble little phone.

How many more times can Namco roll out the yellow pill-muncher? On the evidence of Pac-Man Championship Edition, hopefully plenty.

This is a revelatory rewrite of the classic maze-running template, introducing evolving levels, time limits and a variety of goals to reach. Subtle lighting brings the presentation bang up to date, while maintaining the retro-cool of the original design.

Even more startling is the near-parity between this mobile version and the Xbox 360 edition. Truly a triumphant return.

Mystery Mania is a simplified re-imagining of the point ‘n' click adventure genre that sees you guiding a charming little robot through a series of self-contained puzzle-rooms.

You interact with your environment by clicking on any interesting elements, which are clearly displayed with bold splashes of colour against the grey backgrounds. What's more, every action has an amusing physical reaction that always rewards experimentation - even if it doesn’t always lead to a solution.

Perhaps the real mystery - and indeed mania - lies in the absence of more games like Mystery Mania on mobile.

What do you get when you cross a rough-and-tumble physics-based game with a gang of monkeys? One of the year’s best puzzle games, that’s what.

Tropical Towers sets you the task of building all manner of gap-traversing structures in order to facilitate the safe passage of a group of simians.

Doing so is a simple matter of stringing together a bunch of bamboo sticks, but due attention needs to be paid to weight dispersal and good old gravity, as well as your own limited resources. Monkeying around has never been this cerebral, nor as fun.

The long-awaited return of The Sims didn’t disappoint with this astonishingly well featured third mobile version.

You guide your Sim through life in any way you choose, whether that’s following a regular course (eating, working and sleeping) or acting like a bit of a nutter (breaking into your neighbour's house and watching them sleep).

There are life goals to meet, random moral choices to make and customisation possibilities aplenty in this absorbing larger-than-life simulator.

The Townsmen games represent something of a signature series for the mobile platform, each version selling like hot cakes and attracting critical acclaim.

The sixth edition is no different, somehow managing to top its illustrious predecessors with a thoughtfully constructed take on empire building.

The setting for the latest edition is the French Revolution, and it’s up to you to engineer an uprising against the pampered-but-powerful monarchy. Perfectly engineered for portable play, this is as good as it gets for mobile strategy games.

It took its sweet time reaching mobile, but when LocoRoco Hi arrived earlier in the year it didn’t disappoint. In fact, it turned up full of confidence and ready to roll.

LocoRoco Hi sticks remarkably close to the template set out by the PSP original, and feels perfectly at home on a platform where simple controls are highly desirable.

You tilt the game world left and right to roll your LocoRocos towards each level’s exit, jumping and splitting your crew as necessary. This digital marble maze will bring a smile to any face.

Digital Chocolate continues to make distinctively styled, highly polished mobile games in 2009, with California Gold Rush perhaps representing its finest moment.

The game seamlessly blends adventure, puzzle and resource-management elements to create a distinctive and challenging experience.

You play as Mandy, who must dig for treasure through a series of treacherous mines. It’s not just a case of frenzied digging, though, as you’ll need to keep an eye out for potential cave-ins and your own dwindling stamina. A real find.